Bench Shooting

It has been a while since I posted on this thread. Since then I have made a few changes, and things have picked up well. Last month was my first 250, and the first card I put in this month I shot a 250 with 10 X's. I just hope it keeps getting better.
Many thanks for all of your help
 
Oddly enough, I've been doing a bit of 20 yard bench rest shooting recently, and with a bog standard HFT500

It's a really frustrating discipline as my early attempts proved

I think the real issue, is inconsistent head position.
You set up on the first target, then after that, there are horizontal and vertical movements, for each of the remaining 9 shots
That's 9 chances to get it wrong

Today, I really took my time.
Making sure that I was aligned perfectly, for each shot
I shot the best 10 targets, I've ever shot, with pellets, straight out of the tin, holding under as the rifle was zeroed at 31 yards and on 5x mag

My best tip, is slow down
Take the time to make sure your head position is exactly the same, for each shot
 
P8X said:
Oddly enough, I've been doing a bit of 20 yard bench rest shooting recently, and with a bog standard HFT500

It's a really frustrating discipline as my early attempts proved

I think the real issue, is inconsistent head position.
You set up on the first target, then after that, there are horizontal and vertical movements, for each of the remaining 9 shots
That's 9 chances to get it wrong

Today, I really took my time.
Making sure that I was aligned perfectly, for each shot
I shot the best 10 targets, I've ever shot, with pellets, straight out of the tin, holding under as the rifle was zeroed at 31 yards and on 5x mag

My best tip, is slow down
Take the time to make sure your head position is exactly the same, for each shot
Click to expand...
What changed it for me was, a lower centre of gravity, the bipod as near the front of the stock as possible, the rifle pulled into the crease if the shoulder and a piece of the hook side of Velcro stuck on the stock where my point of contact was. By pulling the stock into my shoulder I found that I was almost put into the right position, and just minor adjustments to remove any scope shadow. And don’t forget breathing
 
check ammo, check gun consistency give the chrony a whirl to rule these out then start looking at operator error if these are fine, muscle movement breathing position etc
 
TimD81 said:
check ammo, check gun consistency give the chrony a whirl to rule these out then start looking at operator error if these are fine, muscle movement breathing position etc
Click to expand...
I am also now thoroughly washing off the manufacturing wax from the pellets, re lubricating with a very fine layer of lube, putting them through a pellet probe and sorting by weight. The barrel and air stripper get looked at when needed.
 
nobby said:
A useful accessory I found was somewhere to shoot off a pellet that "felt" wrong as the breech was closed, rather than use it. The slightest graunch and that would be a flier.
Click to expand...
I have had a couple that gave off a dull phttt when fired, but in the the main the JSY 8.54 streamlined have been quite consistent.
 
Just a question, which might be relevant or not. What sort of magnification are you using on your scope?
 
Loads of great advice by better shooters than me…..

Cant - personally don’t worry about it, consistency is the thing. If you zero and “X” with the same set up all the way through having the scope not perfectly plum doesn’t matter - at least that’s what I’ve found as I am king of cant 😂😂. (Yes, that’s an a)


The other thing for me on the hft500 was to change the trigger spring - simple job of dropping the guard off, removing spring and putting a biro spring in its place - cut about a third off and try it. You will find your trigger is much lighter and prone to pull off target.

The only other piece which has already covered is the cheek has the lightest of touches on the stock. 😃

With your last updates you seem to be heading in the right direction - the first 250 is always a great moment 😃
 
The biggest problem with the HFT is the trigger, it's definitely not good for BR disciplines no matter what people say. It's very agricultural compared to Anschutz or any of the main stream pure target rifles.
 
I have got the trigger to just about how I want it by adjusting the grub screws, plus I fitted a Rowan trigger blade which I found better than the stock item
 
Tim_B said:
Loads of great advice by better shooters than me…..

Cant - personally don’t worry about it, consistency is the thing. If you zero and “X” with the same set up all the way through having the scope not perfectly plum doesn’t matter - at least that’s what I’ve found as I am king of cant 😂😂. (Yes, that’s an a)


The other thing for me on the hft500 was to change the trigger spring - simple job of dropping the guard off, removing spring and putting a biro spring in its place - cut about a third off and try it. You will find your trigger is much lighter and prone to pull off target.

The only other piece which has already covered is the cheek has the lightest of touches on the stock. 😃

With your last updates you seem to be heading in the right direction - the first 250 is always a great moment 😃
Click to expand...
As you say I have got round a lot of the issues that I had, from now on it will, if any, small changes at a time.
 
Alanj49 said:
I have got the trigger to just about how I want it by adjusting the grub screws, plus I fitted a Rowan trigger blade which I found better than the stock item
Click to expand...
Just try it with a biro spring - honestly. Its a lot lighter and less prone to pull off. with the original spring, although you may like it how it is it may not be light enough for BR work.

Any parker pen or bic will do.....get the spring, snip a third off and just try it in there :) I really noticed less movement with the mod - before you could actually see the POI move if pulling the trigger slowly.
 
If you take the side plate off and have a look at the trigger mechanism and how it works you will see the spring is a return from the stage 1 pull only. Once you are holding the trigger at the 2nd stage the weight of the hammer on the top sear is what you have to overcome.

You can cock the sears with the side plate off and you will see exactly how the trigger works.

Beware if you make the return spring too light as the sears will hang up and then you will be in danger of the rifle firing if bumped. This can be tested with letting the pressure off with the stock spring you will find a point where the sear doesn't return. This will be a dangerous situation that needs to be avoided.

I was talking to a guy up in Doncaster the other day and he has found these things the same as me.
 
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